This invention relates to an improved mounting structure for electric motors utilized to drive vehicle axles.
Mass transit vehicles such as buses or trolleys typically include passenger seats to the lateral sides of the vehicle frame. A central aisle extends between the passenger seats. Typically, the motors for driving the wheels of the vehicle have been centrally located. These motors have been connected to the axles by transmissions which extend laterally outwardly to the wheels.
With the above-described prior art structure, there are relatively large motor, transmission, or axle elements directly below the center of the vehicle. The aisle is typically in the center of the vehicle and normally goes over the axle, thus requiring the floor of the aisle to be relatively high. In one known bus, the floor rises over the axle through steps. It is undesirable to have passengers climb the steps to reach the aisle and seating areas. Thus, the aisle floor had to be undesirably high when using the prior art.
Recently, it has been proposed to utilize laterally mounted motors associated with each of the wheels, and drive the wheels through a beveled connection. This results in a great space savings, and allows the aisle floor to be lowered. This invention is described in copending patent application Ser. No. 08/801,531 filed on Feb. 18, 1997, entitled "Low Floor Drive Unit Assembly for an Electrically Driven Vehicle".
The invention described in the above-referenced application has the motor assembled to the center housing in a cantilever fashion. The motor may be relatively heavy, and the cantilevered attachment will put excessive loads into the attachment of the motor to the housing. If additional mounting supports are added to the axle to support and mount the electric motors, then the weight of the vehicle is increased and valuable packaging space is taken up by the additional brackets and mounting supports. Moreover, supports or brackets would have a very difficult time supporting the heavy motors.